


What I Did My Summer Vacation

by eiyria



Category: Dresden Files - All Media Types, Dresden Files - Jim Butcher
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-15
Updated: 2011-10-15
Packaged: 2017-10-24 15:12:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/264916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eiyria/pseuds/eiyria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from TDFKM: Alternate Universe from the RPG. Fool Moon.  Harry keeps the Hexenwolf belt he stole.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What I Did My Summer Vacation

I stepped out into the park. It was late and I couldn't see the smallest semblance of a city light. The air was clear and I could see a million stars twinkling in the sky. I'd been looking forward to this all week.

Wind had swept over Chicago, and the air had never been better. I reached into my coat and touched the furry hexenwolf belt I'd taken from some over ambitious FBI agents a few weeks back.

I muttered a few words of power, and one moment I was weak-human-Harry, and the next second I was in four-legs-form, strong and capable.

My surroundings sharpened. I could see every detail of every leaf. The world was painted in the colors of the setting sun, of the summer sky. The stars were brighter and shone with a beautiful bluish hue. I sniffed the air and I could make out the damp scent of early morning dew. I opened my mouth, and my tongue fell out between my unhinged jaws. I tasted something metal and coppery in the air. It was bitter and foul, but somehow less so than I expected.

I shook out my fur and took a moment to pad around and get use to four legs. It was easy. So much easier than the sloppy two-legs form. It felt good. I stuck my muzzle into the cold grass. The scents were so strong, and clogged my brain.

I rolled in the grass to my heart's content. I found my fur wet, and I shook myself dry. The night was young, and I padded off into the trees. They were tall and quiet, and I slunk behind them, following an ugly gravel path.

I listened, only to find the night oddly quiet. Eventually I found myself at the edge of a clearing, a communitive center for the two-legged. My soft paws soaked into the loose earth and the feel of it was like walking on clouds.

I froze as I spotted it.

There was something living underneath the wooden structure built for the two-legged. One of the two-legged's pets. It outweighed me significantly, but upon closer inspection it was much older. It was nipping at some two-legged trash, slopping its big wet tongue over the shiny material.

In curiosity, I stepped closer. A twig snapped beneath my weight.

The dumb beast froze. Within a second, its body straightened, alert. For probably the first time in years, its old ears began to listen for something other than the deafening honking of the two-legged domain.

It moved its head slowly away from the shiny wrapping and looked in my direction.

I knew it couldn't see me. But it had heard me. It knew something was out there.

It stuck its muzzle out and opened its large mouth in a growl.

I felt my lean shoulders bunch unconsciously in challenge. My jaws unhooked in a savagely playful smile to match the pet's. My tongue lapped over the sizes of my teeth and I felt my mouth water in anticipation. Perhaps there was some vital spark left in the old dog after all. The thought elated me.

I felt a growl rising in my throat to meet my opponent's. That's when the fun stopped. The old beast took a step back, its tail falling between its legs, and a soft whine escaping its throat.

It was weak. Just like the two-legs who'd kept it. Weak, weak weak. Fury rose in me, hot and acidic. My fun had been robbed from me. Taken by the filthy city. My gaze narrowed on the old lump of meat before me, and my hindquarters ached to run and fight.

Then it did something stupid. It ran.

I chased it. The wind raking at my fur, the white moon streaming shining light, the grass softening my every step. I followed it and closed the gap quickly. Dirt kicked up in my every lunge.

It ran. Its weight thrusting about it with each paw that touched down on the earth.

I wanted to kill it, to see it bleed, and to know that it was my doing. Something within my power.

When I caught up to it, it knew running was useless. Life with the two-legs had stripped it of its ability to survive confrontation. I was leaner, younger, and faster. The old one knew it. Something in its eyes tipped me off to this knowledge.

Perhaps, in my youth, I was overeager. I had all the advantages, but the old beast had still lived. In my delight in the chase, I had forgotten. It had experience.

It stopped abruptly, and I stiffened my legs and slid across the damp grass. I turned to get it in my sights, and it took that opening to attack.

It's giant jaws opened and aimed at my neck.

I stumbled, and it was all that saved me from the chomp of its strong jaws. Drool fell from its mouth and splattered against the grass. I managed to regain my footing in time to dodge the jaws return for my legs.

I bristled and snarled at the old dog. It was growing tired quickly. It snapped at my legs more sparingly. I circled it, and it moved to keep me in its sights.

With each step I grew more eager. My patience was wearing thin, but I wasn't so arrogant as to let my excitement get me killed. I played with the old dog a little more. A nip here, a nip there. Always careful to control my actions, and not loose myself in the frenzy.

The beast had acquired its second wind and was lunging at me with more ferocity than I expected from a two-legs pet. It flipped me on my back, and thought it had me. It pulled its head back far, telegraphing its every move. When it's head was fully raised, ready to lunge down, I struck.

I grabbed its neck between my jaws, and my paws scrambled to right myself. Even as it scratched at me, and drew blood, I didn't let go. I found my feet, and shook the dog roughly. I heard the sound of its neck crack, but its body must have not got the message.

I followed it to the ground, my mouth tight around its neck. The thrashing slowed, and stopped. I kept my muzzle embedded in its neck. The thick blood dripped out of my mouth as I took in the taste. My mind went places that I couldn't remember. The feel of it like a drug, richer than anything I could have known. I gnawed at the corpse to get more of the pleasurable liquid. And I gobbled down pieces of it. They were warm as they slipped easily down my throat.

I sat on top of the old dog's remains, content and satisfied with myself. Wet blood coated my fur, and dried as I sat there, riding off the remains of the adrenaline rush.

I looked to the sky, and let out a whine. I wanted more. Maybe not tonight, but soon. I despaired that the two-legs domain didn't have any suitable prey. The two-legs were entertaining, but they didn't come to this area much. I tried to remember why I came here in the first place. There were no suitable hunts this close to the two-legged cities. The thought evaded me, and went about my business.

The remains began to smell. As I stood, I scraped my blood wet belly on the grass, and licked the dried blood off my muzzle.

The old beast had proved suitable entertainment, but I was growing bored. I wanted prey that fought, and fought well. I wanted others to share my joy with. Soon I'd have comrades. The other belts were almost ready. It would be so easy and so fun.

I didn't like the idea of moving my kill, but given I didn't want problems on my territory, it was a small price to pay.

I dug my teeth into the corpse and hauled it towards the tree line. I crossed a path to get there, and gravel stones dug into its body, and polluted its darkened red color. The corpse was huge but I somehow managed.

I ran through the trees until I saw the bright blues of dawn encroach upon the dark sky. Daylight was coming, and that meant I had to change back into the ugly two-leg form. The thought of hunting another night was the only thing edging me on from despair.

I kept the true four-leg form for as long as possible. I darted with the city's shadows and headed towards my home. I found it and slunk down to my doorstep.

Regretting my actions as I did them, I scuttled around, finally managing to pull the hexenwolf belt off of me.

I panted. I was exhausted and tired. I reached out to grab the belt, only to see my hands. They were flaked with dark dried blood. A pang of guilt rang through me, but I shook it off and grabbed the belt. It was just a dog. It would have attached someone else anyways. I did everyone a favor.

I undid the wards, and opened the door to my basement apartment. It was cold, and I lit the fire with a word of power.

I stumbled over to the fire place and hung the belt about a foot away to dry. It was still somewhat wet with blood, and a few drops dripped onto the floor.

I headed off to take a shower.

When I came out, the blood had been washed away. I was very thorough. There was a knock on the door. My cat lifted its head from its perch on the shelf to look at the door.

I stumbled over, held my hand out, and extended my will. I didn't sense anything with power. In fact, it felt a bit like -.

I opened the door.

"Hi Murphy."

"Dresden," she greeted me. "You look tired. Had another allnighter?" Her look was skeptical. "Did another client ask you to make a love potion?"

"Hey," I chided, "That was a really difficult month." I motioned for her to tell me what she came here for. "No, not another potion. I'm actually working on something. I'm almost done. I'll show you soon."

She smiled a bit and went back to shop talk. "SI has had a few weird missing person reports. I was wondering if you'd take a look. Maybe they're from your end of the playground."

The smile I felt swelling behind my lips, luckily didn't show. Missing persons reports? Maybe I had someone new to play with after-all. I looked over to the belt that hung close to the fireplace.

She dug out the files, and I gave her a reply, "Of course Murphy, I'll help you out with this case. If you had enough sense to bring it to me, it is probably from my side. I'll check it out pro-bono."

She looked a little shocked. "Dresden, when did you become such a good samaritan?" She looked around my apartment. "Have you seen the state you live in? You can't afford not to charge." After a thought, she quickly added. "Other people of course. SI would graciously accept your hospitality."

I smiled a goofy smile at her.

"Hey," her voice came out a tiny bit confused. "That's the wolf belt thing from a few weeks back, right?"

I followed her gaze, frowning. "Um, yeah."

"I thought you got rid of that thing? Some sort of addicting black magic mumbo-jumbo."

"Hmmm," I muttered, careful to keep my voice even. "I must have forgotten about it. Things have been busy." I looked through the files, careful to keep her in my peripheral vision. I didn't want her doing anything stupid. I skimmed over some of the reports. A few things stuck out in my mind as clear paranormal warning signs.

"Hey Murph," I drew her attention away from wherever it was, "Give me a few days with these. Definitely my kind of party. I'll fill you in on the details."

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, you better buster. I am so done with you holding back information."

I plastered on a grin. "Of course Murphy," I replied. "Maybe we'll even catch this one together."


End file.
